1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to telecommunications systems, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for monitoring selected telecommunications sessions.
2. Background of the Invention
Since the invention of the telephone and pervasive use of telecommunications for exchanging information and conducting business, there has been a recognized need by private industry and government authorities for an ability to monitor selected telecommunications sessions.
Government agencies, in particular law enforcement agencies routinely monitor selected telecommunications sessions in order to acquire information important in the maintenance of law and order. Since sophisticated tools are commercially available to permit the detection of monitoring equipment, law enforcement agencies require monitoring facilities that are difficult or impossible to detect in order to ensure that acquired information is accurate and indicative of information that would be exchanged in confidentiality.
Private industry also routinely monitors selected telecommunications sessions, in particular voice communications, to evaluate the effectiveness of sales and customer service personal to ensure that clients and/or potential clients receive adequate and courteous service in an attempt to maintain and increase market share. Because so many business transactions are now conducted by telephone, it is imperative that commercial operations have the ability to monitor their staff in an unobtrusive and undetectable fashion in order to ensure that an accurate evaluation of attitudes and performance is obtained.
Selective monitoring of telecommunications is also conducted by parents in order to supervise their children and/or domestic help in a household environment. Since this type of monitoring is for the purpose of supervision by private individuals, low-cost monitoring tools are desired.
Generally, prior art systems for monitoring selected telecommunications sessions require that a xe2x80x9ctapxe2x80x9d consisting of a mechanical connection or bridge to monitoring equipment be attached to a telephone line to be monitored. This art of mechanical xe2x80x9ctappingxe2x80x9d into a monitored line is generally accomplished at a local telephone switch within the public switched telephone network or in a private branch exchange.
A disadvantage of such prior art monitoring equipment is that it changes the impedance of the monitored line which is readily detectable. Another disadvantage is that a great deal of time and effort is required to install such a monitoring connection.
There is also a significant disadvantage in the lack of flexibility because the monitoring equipment is not readily switched from line to line. If, for example, a person owns a land-based telephone line, a mobile line, and a modem line, a prior art tap must be connected to each line.
The problem is further exacerbated if the caller calls a telephone number associated with the pager owned by the called party, and the actual telecommunications session is established when the called party returns the call. In those instances, there is no practical solution for monitoring telecommunications sessions using such prior art equipment.
The present invention is directed to a technique for monitoring the calls placed to the telephone number associated with the party under surveillance. When a call to the telephone number associated with party under surveillance is placed, the call is routed via an assigned meet-me bridge, and a third party is provided with the unique telephone number of the meet-me bridge via a pager. When the third party places a call to the assigned meet-me bridge, the incoming call to the party under surveillance and the call by the third party are bridged. Thereon, the third party is placed on mute and the third party may silently listen to the conversation between the caller and the called party.
In an alternative embodiment, a dual-alerting paging system having the capabilities of monitoring the return call is disclosed. When a call (i.e., a page) to a telephone number associated with a pager of the party under surveillance is received, a third party is alerted. Also, in response to the page, when the party under surveillance uses a specific calling card to place a return call, the return call is routed via a meet-me bridge having a unique number, and the third party is provided with this unique number. When the third party places a call to this unique number, that call is routed to the assigned meet-me bridge, and the-return call and the call by the third party are bridged. Thereon, the third party is placed on mute and the third party may listen to the return call conversation.
Thus, the principles of the present invention provide a low cost solution for monitoring incoming calls to a telephone, and incoming pages to a pager. Unlike the prior art, a mechanical tap connected to the physical telephone line is not required.
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for monitoring a first party under surveillance, comprising the steps of (a) detecting access to telecommunications equipment corresponding to the first party; and (b) automatically generating a paging message to a third party to alert the third party about the access